Introduction

Two classes of nutrients are considered essential for plants. Macronutrients are the building blocks of crucial cellular components like proteins and nucleic acids; as the name suggests, they are required in large quantities, include nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Micronutrients, including iron, zinc, manganese, and copper, are required in very small amounts. Micronutrients are often required as cofactors for enzyme activity. Mineral nutrients are usually obtained from the soil through plant roots, but many factors can affect the efficiency of nutrient acquisition. Visual nutrient deficiency symptoms can be a very powerful diagnostic tool for evaluating the nutrient status of plants. Many of the classic deficiency symptoms such as tip burn, chlorosis and necrosis are characteristically associated with more than one mineral deficiency and also with other stresses. Plants do not grow in isolation, they are part of the overall environment and as such they respond to environmental changes as that affect nutrient availability. Also, plants do influence their environment and can contribute to environmental changes, which in turn can affect the nutrient status of the plant. This course aims to give comprehensive and advance knowledge of mechanism of water uptake, role of essential nutrients in plant metabolism and effects of deficiency and toxicities of nutrients on physiological process. This course also provides an insight into plant responses to environmental stress and long term effects of fertilization and diffuse deposition of heavy metals on soil and crop quality.

Learning outcomes:

On completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Understand plant growth under different nutrient supplies
2. Understand effects of different factors on plant growth and yield
3. demonstrate use of essential elements for plants

Readings

1. Barker, A.V. & Pilbeam, D.J. (2015). Hand book of plant nutrition. (2nd ed.) Florida: CRC Press.
2. Willey, N. (2016). Environmental plant physiology. (1sted.).New York: Garland Science.
3. Kumar, V., Wani, S.H., Penna, S. &Tran, L. (2018). Salinity responses and tolerance in plants, targeting sensory, transport and signaling mechanisms. Switzerland: Springer.
4. Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Moller, I.M. & Murphy, A. (2018).Fundamentals of plant physiology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
5. Environmental physiology of plants by Alastair H. Fitter & Robert K.M. Hay

Assessment Criteria

 Sessional+ Presentations: 15

Practicals: 25

Mid Term Exam: 15

Final Exam: 45

Weekly lesson Plan